


Would You Be My Girlfriend?

by lululawrence



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, American Harry Styles, American Louis Tomlinson, Because I can, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Genderswap, Jealousy, Karaoke, Love Confessions, No Smut, One Shot, Pining, gratuitous use of girlfriend by nsync, sorry friends, they're all american
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:55:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25391224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululawrence/pseuds/lululawrence
Summary: Louis smoothed down her top and brushed her fingers through her hair to be sure it was laying over her shoulders just right. She rarely put this much effort into her appearance when she was hanging out with her friends, but tonight was special.Tonight was the night she was finally going to make her move on Harry.Or the one where all of Louis' plans are thrown off when another girl shows up to their karaoke night and steals Harry's attention.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 18
Kudos: 106
Collections: Prompt 3.4: Sin





	Would You Be My Girlfriend?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [QuickedWeen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuickedWeen/gifts).



> [Molly](https://becomeawendybird.tumblr.com)!! This is for you! I randomly came up with the idea months ago and decided then and there if I wrote it, it would be for you. So here you are. xxxx I love you!
> 
> I also love and adore [Lynda](https://wait4ever.tumblr.com) and [Nic](https://louandhazaf.tumblr.com) for betaing and promising me the fic doesn't suck. You're both amazing.
> 
> This is part of a Wordplay prompt challenge for the prompt "sin". To read the amazing fics that were written by the others on this prompt, [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sin), and to see all fics written as part of the challenge (including years 1-3), [click here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/wordplay_fic_challenge/works). You can also find the masterpost for this year’s challenge [here](https://wordplayfics.tumblr.com/post/622306139518926848/wordplay-2020-every-week-for-five-weeks-a-prompt).
> 
> The title comes from Girlfriend by *NSYNC and it DOES play a role in the fic lollll If you haven't heard it, shame on you. lolllll JK but [here's a link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saxnXiBKEaY) to it on youtube so you aren't left in the dark as to how amazing it really is to use it in a jealous rage. lolll
> 
> As always, this is a work of fiction, please don't share it with anyone in any way connected with the band, and please no translations or reposting of my work without my express permission. Thank you! I hope you enjoy.

Louis smoothed down her top and brushed her fingers through her hair to be sure it was laying over her shoulders just right. She rarely put this much effort into her appearance when she was hanging out with her friends, but tonight was special. 

Tonight was the night she was finally going to make her move on Harry. 

They had been circling each other for months and Louis still wasn’t positive that Harry was actually flirting, but it was a risk she needed to take. If she went for it and Harry said no… well. She’d be fairly devastated, but she would get over it eventually. Especially since Harry was absolutely lovely and would hopefully act like it had never happened in order to allow Louis to save face.

“Li, lets go!” Louis called as she left her bedroom. 

“No need to yell. I’ve been ready for half an hour now,” Liam responded while she stood up from the sofa, looking perfectly put together as always. “Shit, Lou. You’re finally doing it, aren’t you?”

Louis rolled her eyes and went to tug on her Vans and her cropped jacket that wouldn’t keep the chill out completely. It was worth it though, or at least she hoped it would be. Every other time she wore it with a more fitted top, Harry couldn’t help but stare. It made Louis feel sexy and desirable in a way she didn’t usually, and that was exactly what she was wanting to channel tonight. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, as usual,” Louis said, feigning ignorance. “C’mon. I bet they’re already at the bar.”

Karaoke night was something their group of friends did every month, but usually Louis kept her song choices light and fun. In her effort to win over Harry, she planned to sing one of the heartfelt ballads that she’d been practicing for ages now. She had perfected all three options, it was just a matter of choosing which one she thought most likely to tug at Harry’s heartstrings tonight. 

As Louis expected, their usual table was occupied by Harry, Niall, and Zayn… and someone else Louis didn’t recognize. Normally, Louis was of the mindset the more the merrier, but thanks to Harry practically sitting in this mystery girl’s lap, Louis was temporarily singing a different tune. 

“Hey! You finally made it!” Niall cheered, standing up to give them both hugs. “Woo, Lou! You look hot, babe!”

Louis blushed, even as she tried to take her eyes off Harry and Dark-and-Gorgeous. “Thanks, Ni.”

“We’ve got your first drink already, but it might be warm now,” Zayn said as she pushed the drink towards Louis. It was bright pink with cherries floating along and clearly everything Louis loved about alcohol, even if it wasn’t cold anymore.

“You’re the fucking best,” Louis trilled before tipping it back and drinking the whole thing as quickly as she could. It burned a bit and she had to squeeze her eyes shut against how strong it was, but she didn’t care. She needed something in her if she was still going to tell Harry how she felt, especially with mystery girl joining them.

“Lou,” Harry squeaked and when Louis lowered her glass, she saw Harry’s eyes wide as she took in Louis’ outfit. “You look like  _ sin.”  _ Harry smiled wide with approval, and Louis was pleased enough to make the first move regarding the girl with her. 

“Thank you, that  _ is _ what I was going for so I’m glad I succeeded,” she smiled, shaking her hips a little. “So who’ve you brought to join us tonight?”

“Oh, this is Mitch!” Harry said, wrapping her arm around Mitch’s shoulders and pulling her into her for a hug showing she had clearly had more to drink already than Louis initially thought. “She’s one of my besties from college who’s in town for a work thing so I invited her to come out with us for the night! Can you believe it’s been… what… three years since we’ve seen each other already?”

Mitch nodded, smiling at Harry as she took a drink from her beer. Louis waited for her to say something, but she stayed quiet.

Alrighty then. At least she was only here for a short visit and not anything long term. Then again, a short visit was all it could take to derail all of Louis’ plans and courage.

Squaring her shoulders as she checked out the line at the bar, Louis said, “Well, nice to meet you, Mitch. I’m Louis. Hope you’re ready for a night of fun singing.”

“I don’t sing,” Mitch said, scrunching her nose up. “Sorry.”

Louis shrugged. “That’s fine. Enjoy the alcohol at least, then. Speaking of, I’m going to get myself another drink.”

Liam had already found a spot at the bar and was sitting on a stool, waiting for her drink.

“Liiiiiiii,” Louis whined, coming up and leaning her forehead against Liam’s shoulder.

“Babe, don’t,” Liam chided gently, pulling her shoulder away from Louis. “I’m wearing black, you’re going to get your foundation all over it.”

Louis pouted. “I deserve cuddles, Liam, and you’re denying me in my time of need.”

Liam rolled her eyes. “Oh come on. It’s just Mitch. She isn’t competition for you at all.”

“How do  _ you _ know?” Louis asked, sitting down to wait for the bartender to come over to take her order. “And how do you know Mitch?”

“Babe. You forget you know Harry through me because I’ve known her since we were kids.” Liam rolled her eyes. “Mitch’s family lives across the country and for a lot of holidays during college she just came back with Harry because she couldn’t afford to go home. She’s nice, but I promise there was never anything between them. Still isn’t.”

“Hmm,” Louis hummed, unconvinced. 

Harry was a physically affectionate girl, it was part of why the two of them worked together so well in Louis’ opinion, but this was more than the usual for Harry. 

Then again, as Louis had witnessed, she had already had quite a bit to drink. It looked like she was slowing down with a water now, though. 

Louis turned back to the bar instead of watching Mitch and Harry right as the bartender brought back Liam’s drink and asked Louis for her order. She started a tab and went back to the table with her new drink in hand.

“What are you going for tonight, Lou? Some Kesha?” Niall asked as Louis set down her drink. 

“Nah,” Louis said before shrugging off her jacket. She’d planned to keep it on the whole night, but it was too warm and she was having to wing her plan anyway so she might as well do the same with her outfit. “Thought I’d switch it up tonight, but I haven’t decided how just yet. Going to have to see if I get inspired by any performances.”

“Ooh,” Harry said as Mitch leaned into her some more. Harry didn’t seem to find anything unusual about this and just shifted her arm a little while Mitch continued messing around on her phone. “Got bored with your usual catalogue?”

Louis scrunched her nose, pleased that Harry was interested in the switch up. The two of them usually plan their songs together ahead of time, but this month had been insane with Louis having to grade midterms for three of her classes and Harry had three events for work she was in charge of planning. They hadn’t been able to talk much this month, much less actually see each other. She was glad it didn’t mean Harry’s interest was lower than usual.

“Nah, just felt like doing something a little different tonight is all,” Louis said, trying to be coy.

The night went on with various individuals and groups getting up from their table to provide the soundtrack once the karaoke opened. Louis was having a great time and her friends were all sounding great, but she was getting more and more frustrated with the Mitch situation, because after Mitch had used the restroom she’d just flat out sat in Harry’s lap and no one was acting like it was anything unusual. Was Louis the only one who was surprised by Mitch’s presence, much less the fact she and Harry were acting like  _ that _ together?

Louis was also rethinking her plan for a ballad. She needed something bigger, something that was fail-safe.

As she mulled over options that she was confident enough to bust out last minute, Niall came back from singing a Fleetwood Mac song and threw herself down into the booth.

“I love singing songs I loved as a kid,” she said, adjusting her shirt before reaching across the table for the drink she’d left behind when her name was called. “There’s something so nostalgic and cleansing about it.”

Nostalgic and cleansing weren’t really what Louis was going for tonight, but she now knew exactly what song she was going to sing.

“Oh, move move move,” Louis chanted, shoving at Niall’s arm so she could get out of the booth. “I know what I’m singing and I’ve gotta sign up so I can get on before midnight.”

It had been a busy night, and a couple of parties had just come in. Louis wanted to get on before everything devolved completely and those who weren’t part of the usual karaoke crowd took over.

She rushed up to the host for the night.

“Heyaaaaa,” Nick said, pulling Louis in for a hug. “I expected you up here way earlier than now. What kept you?”

“I had to change my plan last minute,” Louis explained as she started flipping the pages in the book. 

Just like she had hoped, the song she wanted was not only available but was offered in a few different keys due to its popularity. Choosing the option that was best for her range, she added it to the sign up list beside Nick, pressed a quick kiss to her cheek as the next song was announced, and then she rushed back to the table so she wouldn’t be in the way.

“What did you choose?” Harry asked when she returned.

“It’s a secret,” Louis said, smiling. 

Mitch finally glanced at her showing the smallest amount of interest before she looked back at her phone. Charming, that one. Louis could only imagine what Harry found attractive about her. 

“You’ll see soon enough, hopefully.” 

Two Spice Girls songs later, Liam went to sign up for another song and when she came back she winked at Louis.

“What?” Louis asked, leaning over Zayn who sighed and placed her elbow on Louis’ back so she could relax a little despite the position they were in.

“I might have flirted with Nick a little to get you moved up the line.”

Louis’ jaw dropped. “Oh my God, what?”

Liam shrugged and smiled demurely. “She didn’t fall for it, but she  _ did _ ask why I’d go to such trouble for you so I told her what you’re hoping to do tonight and she immediately agreed. I think you’re up in two songs, so get ready.”

Just after Liam said that, Nick announced that Louis was on deck and then introduced the next singer.

Louis smiled thankfully at her roommate and then made her way out of the booth, glancing over her shoulder as she walked away to be sure Harry was watching. 

She was. Louis might have made sure she swung her hips a bit more than usual because of Harry’s focus on her ass. She had to use what she had to help her any way she could.

As Louis waited her turn, though, Harry was right back to whispering and talking to Mitch and hardly no one else, just like she had been most of the night. Her frustration and anger was fueled by seeing this and, with her jealousy raging, she was ready to give the performance of her life.

Her love life, anyway.

“You good with me leaving the stage for this?” Louis asked Nick, feeling more secure in her plan than she had since walking into the bar and seeing Mitch at the table.

“You do what you’ve gotta do to get your girl,” Nick said, smiling. “The cord should be able to reach there with how it’s all positioned, just don’t pull on it too hard or anything.”

Louis nodded and studied the path from the stage to their table as she figured out exactly how she was going to move.

Nick announced her song choice and Louis took the stage, Harry’s eyes finally back on her. As the opening chords played, Louis smirked and Harry’s stance changed. She fully turned herself away from Mitch and made sure even her body was showing that all attention was on Louis.

“ _ Would you be my girlfriend?” _ Louis whispered into the mic, trying to mimic Justin and JC’s echos from the original track, making sure her eyes never wavered from Harry’s. “ _ You know I like you, right?” _

Harry’s eyes widened when she heard the question and Louis hoped she was starting to understand that Louis really meant this for her. As Louis started singing the song, she walked away from the TV with the word prompts and left the stage. She was so glad she didn’t need them, that was going to only help her with this.

Louis carefully made her way between the tables to their booth, making sure the cord didn’t get caught on anything and never missed a beat with the song. Louis had a lot of fun loosening up by getting into the lyrics and flirting with people a little until she was through the groups on the floor and to their booth.

She hit the chorus right as she stood in front of Harry, so she popped her hip arched her brow in an attempt to both show off her curves as well as show she was being serious with her attitude right as she delivered the lines, “ _ Why don’t you be my girlfriend? I’ll treat you good…” _

As she kept going, Louis pulled Harry up and danced around her, doing her best to keep her attention entirely on Louis as she sang the song to and for her.

By the end, she stopped right in front of Harry and delivered the last line,  _ “Girl, you should be my girlfriend,” _ and before she could even take in her applause, Harry pulled Louis into her chest and kissed her fully on the mouth.

“I’ll, just… take this for you,” Liam said as she pried the microphone from Louis’ hand, allowing Louis to finally pull Harry into herself fully.

“Wait,” Louis said, pulling back quickly. 

She looked around and waved at those who still had their eyes on the two of them before pulling Harry away from the stage so they could hopefully hear each other as they talked this out because Louis wasn’t going to let Harry just kiss her like that without making sure they were on the same page. 

Once she’d found them a corner that was as quiet as it was going to get in the bar, she turned and studied Harry, who seemed to be biting her lip as she focused on Louis’ mouth.

“Okay, seriously? That’s all it took? Because I’m for real about this, Harry.” Louis took both of Harry’s hands in her own before looking back up at Harry nervously. “I’ve liked you for a while now and I had some pretty grand plans for tonight but then Mitch was here and you were like  _ that _ with her, and now you’re kissing me in front of everyone…”

Harry smiled at Louis and squeezed her hands, finally focusing on Louis’ eyes for the first time since the song had finished. Louis hadn’t even realized until now, but Harry had been studying every part of Louis but her eyes and now that she was looking back at her, she could practically feel the want in her eyes, it was that obvious.

“Lou. I think I’ve been half in love with you from the day we met. Did you really not know that?”

Louis’ jaw dropped. “Of  _ course _ I didn’t know that, how was I supposed to know that?” Louis squeaked out. She was so surprised it felt like her throat had constricted and made her voice raise a few octaves. 

Harry smiled fondly and shook her head. “I made such a fool of myself whenever you were around and everyone said I was being incredibly obvious. I just figured you knew.”

“Years, Harry. It’s been years and I’ve just been pining the entire time as I watched you flirt with what felt like everyone except for me,” Louis said, still disbelieving all of this. “And what about Mitch?”

“Mitch is engaged to a girl we knew in college,” Harry said, waving her hand dismissively. “We’re just like this because we’ve been best friends since freshman year when we were roommates.” 

Louis opened her mouth to fight back with more questions over Harry’s behavior from the past few years when Harry let go of her hands and placed them on Louis’ hips, looking down and squeezing her hands a little before pulling Louis into her. It felt possessive, and Louis desperately wanted to be claimed as hers.

“Listen, I’ll ease your fears, every single one of them, but later. Please,” Harry pleaded, leaning her forehead against Louis’. “I have been waiting years to taste your lips, and I’d really like to kiss you some more now I know I’m allowed.”

Louis blinked quickly, trying to focus on Harry but finding it too difficult with her as close as she was. Finally she closed her eyes and allowed herself to put everything else to the side. Harry was right, she had wanted this for years too. Now wasn’t the time to question it. Now was the time to enjoy and appreciate that this was happening at all.

Tilting her chin up, Louis pressed their lips together gently and basked in the feeling of Harry moving her lips against her own. They were so soft and slightly sticky with lip gloss even after all of her drinks, and Louis was quite possibly in heaven.

“Think they’ll miss us if we sneak home?” Harry asked when they finally took a break to breathe a little.

Louis opened her mouth to speak when she felt her phone vibrate in her skirt pocket. She pulled it out and found just what she was hoping for.

_ Liam: We’ll make sure Mitch makes it back to her hotel alright. I’m gonna stay with Zayn tonight so you can have the apartment to yourselves. Love you, babe. Congrats! _

Louis turned the phone around so Harry could read the message. Once she had, she turned a blinding smile at Louis and pulled back, lacing her hand through Louis’. 

“Let’s get your jacket and go home, then. We have lost time to make up for.”

Nodding, Louis agreed and happily followed Harry’s lead. They’d  _ absolutely _ be making up for lost time tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you liked it, I'd love it if you would consider leaving kudos, a nice comment, and maybe even [reblogging the fic post](https://lululawrence.tumblr.com/post/624176421037850624/would-you-be-my-girlfriend-by-lululawrence-harry) hehe


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